


Relentless

by alinabeu



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Other, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 15:43:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21430675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alinabeu/pseuds/alinabeu
Summary: Bradford discovers his rookie got too deeply involved in one of their past cases but when he decides to confront her about it, things only go downhill from there.
Relationships: Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 6
Kudos: 56





	Relentless

**Chapter 1**

Lucy's already half asleep as she reaches the door of her tiny new apartment. It's a miracle she even managed to walk the distance from where her fellow rookie Jackson dropped her off.

To say that she was exhausted is an understatement. Her day shift was packed with action and dangerous criminals. The action part consisted of Lucy chasing after a stoner, ironically named Lucio, for two miles. Two miles on foot. In a 'wool' police uniform. It may as well be made out of wool like it was in the old days, with how hot and trapped it made her feel.

But that wouldn't be such a big deal if weed wasn't legal in California. The stoner guy wasn't even in a possession of one and when Bradford, who was by the way chilling in the car with the AC on the whole time, asked him why he ran in the first place, he said it was because they looked like zombies with orange cowboy hats on. Lucio hated orange hats in general. Therefore, both him and Lucy ran for nothing.

The worst part wasn't even that she felt like her legs might fall off any minute, it was the fact that this whole unfortunate chase amused her training officer far too much. By the time they returned to the police station, everyone had already heard his little story about 'the time Lucy chased after Lucio'. She was so embarrassed, she avoided any form of interaction with other officers for the rest of her day.

Except with Nolan and West. After her shift they somehow convinced her to get a couple of drinks with them at the local bar, which turned into more drinks and more new people gathering at their table. If it wasn't for the loud music that boomed through the speakers, Lucy would've fallen asleep then and there. It was their fault, really. They dragged her out just to make fun of her anyway. The policy in regard to their friendship was always 'if you can't help your friends and their misery, laugh at them'. And she should've known better.

So when her body finally comes in contact with her incredibly soft sheets after such a long day, Lucy feels like never getting up again. Tired and completely unsuspecting of what the next day will bring upon her, she peacefully drifts off.

* * *

Tim Bradford was an excellent officer. Smart, physically capable and extremely determined. The kind you are lucky to have as your friend but god have mercy on your soul if you cross his path when involved in any sort of foul.

After the whole situation with Isabel, his estranged wife at the time, Tim's job became his whole life. Not that he wasn't as committed before but there was at least someone to come home to. Until there wasn't.

He decided to take a sergeant exam eventually, but that was more out of the need to move his life along with a bit of a pressure from his fellow t.o.'s mixed in than his own wishful thinking. You see, he liked being a training officer. It might not be as full filing as being a sergeant, or captain even, but it definitely has its charms the other two simply don't have. More physical activity, thrill, use of weapons and his personal favorite, getting to boss the rookies around.

His current boot and probably the last one if the sergeant thing gets through, was Chen.

Tim wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was truly one of the best he had trained yet. Even without his training, it was pretty obvious she was a natural and the potential of her becoming a brilliant police woman was oozing through her pores. Even late Captain Andersen had noticed it.

Yes, Nolan had the emotional maturity and experience on his side, West was a fast learner and extremely motivated to prove himself. _But Lucy?_ What started as a rebellion to her parents, ended up being her one true passion. There were mistakes she's been making through her training here and there, but nothing more or less than your average rookie. At least nothing that can't be improved and learned on.

She had one big flaw though, which required more attention than her usual surface level mistakes. There is such a thing as too much compassion and that was Lucy's problem.

About a month or two ago, during a shootout, she helped to deliver a woman's baby but then kept visiting her after. It was almost like she has become her family.

Although the girl was practically an open book, Bradford somehow failed to notice his rookie was getting too deeply involved in the cases they left behind a long time ago. Until he noticed and decided to confront her about it.

"How long has this been going on?" Tim looks beyond pissed.

"I... I don't know. I gave her my card to give me a call if she needed me and one day she just did." Lucy is feeling guilty and confused at the same time. She can't understand why this would be such a horrible thing to do in her t.o.'s mind. "Oh, come on, Cesiah was the victim. She needed-"

Tim interrupts her. "Are you kidding me?! That's not how it works, Chen!" He raises his voice and Lucy feels like every single officer in the station has their eyes fixated on them through the window of the garage, which she really hopes is soundproof.

"Sir, with all due respect, it's not like I visited her wearing a badge and full on uniform. I went there as a civilian, of my own accord. I just thought she needed some support after everything she went through. That's all."

"Dammit boot, it doesn't matter! When we close a case and our service and protection is not needed anymore, we leave it behind. You have to leave it behind and move on. Not get involved."

"What do you mean, not get involved? It's not like they stop being people after our call ends. Maybe there is a significant difference being made when we reach out to people outside of our jobs."

Lucy forces herself to take a breath and remain calm. She has to try and be clearheaded and shove away the emotions if she's going to make Tim understand where she was coming from. But he isn't exactly giving up either.

"Look, compassion is good. But there are 7 billion people in the world, 4 million just in Los Angeles. Taking those lives being lived and feeling compassion towards the percentage that are suffering at any time will overwhelm you. Imagine visiting every single victim and getting them emotional support after they were a victim of a crime or trauma. You'll go crazy!"

They stare at each other for a second, his eyes so intense Lucy has to remind herself to breathe again before he continues.

"So what's the answer? It's not to stop caring about them. It's to care enough about yourself to look after your own emotional well-being. I'm surprised your parents didn't teach you that, being shrinks and all."

By the look on Chen's face, Tim knew he just crossed the line, but it had to be said. He knew he had to be tough for her own good.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm doing this because deep down I resent the way my parents psychologically evaluated every single part of my childhood and treated me like one of their projects. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter."

99% of the time, Bradford could get into his rookie's head so easily. Right now, in the remaining 1%, she looks more determined than he had ever seen her.

"If you can detach yourself emotionally, then by all means, props to you but don't expect me to leave my heart here in a locker after every shift because that's just not who I am."

Lucy looks down at her feet before looking her t.o. in the eye again. He searches her face, clearly hesitant, but she remains ironically stoic, not giving anything away. He has no choice but to nod and step away from her, not realizing how close he'd gotten.

"M-maybe we should try to request for a switch." Lucy really hopes he didn't hear that quiver in her voice.

Tim looks at her incredulously while crossing his arms. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you get another rookie and I get another t.o." She clarifies. "Look, It's not about your training methods because those make me a good cop. Or even about how strict you are. It's just that I realized somewhere along the lines we may have lost trust in each other. And Sgt. Grey always says this is crucial between rookies and their t.o.'s."

Tim wasn't expecting that, yes. But it isn't just that she would rather have someone else train her that surprised him, it was the fact that he didn't like that idea at all.

"Chen, wait." Tim calls, a few steps behind her, but she's already out the door and in the hall, lost in the crowd of fellow officers.


End file.
